Monday, April 25, 2011

Last week my husband and I took a ride over to Historic Walnford, New Jersey. This 36 acre site began it's story in 1734, when it was purchased by Richard Waln, a Quaker businessman from Philadelphia.

The structures and landscape reveal the changing culture through the last three centuries.

It contained a grist Mill, saw mill, fulling mill, and blacksmith and coopers shops. When Richard Waln had the impressive and elegant home built in 1773, he and his family moved there and it re-named Walnford.

This painting (11 X14 Acrylic on Canvas), is based on one of my photographs of the grist mill (blue building) with part of the home behind it. As all of my paintings, I added a bit of my own take to the composition. The yellow floral arrangement in the right corner of the canvas, although taken from the site, was originally positioned elsewhere on the grounds. I always like to add my own "take" on what I see---to add a bit of the surreal to my paintings.

"Out for the Ride" is the second painting I added to my collection. (6 X8 Acrylic on Canvas Paper).
The bicycle riders is based from a photo I took of a couple on their bikes at a local park.......always carry that camera- you never know what is going to make an interesting photo--and then a n interesting painting!

Monday, April 18, 2011

I had some difficulty deciding what category to upload this painting. Where it is a memory of my trip to Bryce and Grand Canyons a couple of years ago, it is also a "put together" painting from several of my photos. I felt that it was surreal, as no such scene existed. I was going to include it in Flora and perhaps Fauna (the horse), but had more of a surreal feel for me.

Funny, how things and ideas overlap. Perhaps categories and generalizations are not necessary----included in real life situations?????

I think that my gut feeling a fantasy world is here in this paintings, and several of my paintings, so therefore, Surreal.

Travel is a huge inspiration to me and for my artwork! I recently had an opening reception for my solo photography show called JOURNEYS at Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury, NJ that focuses on mainly 35mm images from my travels in Eastern & Western Europe and the US.
The reception was a success with many visitors, including friends, family, collectors and people I hadn’t met before that read about the show in the press. I was interviewed by 2 NJ blog sites and made a sale opening day! Here are the links to the blogs so you can check them out:http://eastwindsor.patch.com/articles/next-at-cranbury-gallery-photos-of-journeys#photo-5448109http://gourgaudgallery.blogspot.com/2011/04/new-exhibit-at-gourgaud-gallery.html
Some of the most popular images in the show were the shot of the Native American family at the Grand Canyon, the Gaudi spires from the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona and an in-camera double exposure I shot along the historic D&R Canal that runs through NJ & PA. Among the cities explored in this show are Amsterdam, New Orleans, Budapest, Prague, Edinburgh and others.
I hope everyone who sees this show will be inspired to travel or at least research the art and culture of other US states and other countries…there’s so much beauty and similarity between cultures as well as fascinating differences to discover!This exhibit will be up until 4/25/11 at Gourgaud Gallery, Town Hall, 23A No. Main St., Cranbury, NJ. All work is for sale and 20% goes to supporting the gallery! If you stop by the show, feel free to drop me an email or comment and let me know how you like it! Enjoy the journey!!
~Lauren

Happy Spring All! (or Fall, depending on where you are on the globe). I currently have a solo photography exhibit at Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury, NJ…the opening went well with a great turnout, the 1st sale and excellent press including an interview by Bob & Linda Gilbert, active members of the gallery. Well, Linda is a painter as well so I thought I’d return the favor and feature a blog about her and her inspired artwork…so take it away Linda!Following my retirement from teaching Art in the Public Schools in Brooklyn and Staten Island, New York, I returned to my true passion of creating inspired paintings, many of which are featured on my website.

Additionally, I am currently teaching an Acrylic Painting class at the United Federation of Teachers in Manalapan, NJ. I also recently created an Art program for residents of the Renaissance at Cranbury Crossing, NJ where I instructed Painting.

My photos are a source for my paintings. I communicate my emotions, imagination and thoughts by painting landscapes, seascapes, fantasy, people, animals, and interesting architecture. I tell the story of my mind through my art work, altering reality to create a whimsical world.

this is light blue -hvite acryllic paint on the bottom, then self coloured paste on top.when bottom was dry i put on self adhesive plastic that i cut out myself, coated it all with paste let it dry couple of minutes then pullet off the drag...flies plastic, when you cut youre shape it is helpful to make a little v shape kut where the plastic is at its broadest makes it easier to hold on, when pull off.. :) i left the v shaped mark on the dragonflies but this is easy to wash off with a Q-tip :) i used acrylic water based paste :) same tecnique with the boat. If wanted it is possible to copy, put a piece of paper on youre pcdraving on the internett.then you have almost free sticers, to put on window or other smooth surface :)

Friday, April 1, 2011

I tend to lean towards Surrealism when I paint. I enjoy creating the unlikely in a realistic setting. The reasons why I choose to go into a surreal or mystical world many have to do with many reasons (perhaps a whimsical thought, or perhaps a subconscious wish?), but I seem to get enjoyment when I look at my finished product. Of course, in between surreal paintings, I paint the usual, with my own take on it.

The Painting "Stunned by the Beauty, which I just completed, brought particular joy to me.

I perused through many of my photos, many taken of farmland, and thought immediately: I am going to create a scene where a farmer stops his work to view something that he is stunned by. In this case it is a growth of oversized colorful and unusal flowers, none like he has ever seen before. Opposite the oversized flowers, is a large bird, also far too big in proportion perched on his fence. Now the question arises, which one is correct? Is the farmer misplaced in an unknown land, or are the flowers misplaced? The black road also offers a question as to where this could be. The road looks ominous. I leave you with this thought reader: Where exactly is this picture? Is it here on Earth, or somewhere else?